DETAINED opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party has dismissed the Burmese junta's offer of talks as a surrender demand, and a UN envoy warned of international consequences from its brutal suppression of pro-democracy protesters.

Ibrahim Gambari, addressing the UN Security Council after a four-day visit to Burma, called for the release of all political prisoners there and voiced concern at reports of continuing government abuses after last week's protests.

"Of great concern to the United Nations and the international community are the continuing and disturbing reports of abuses being committed by security and non-uniformed elements, particularly at night during curfew, including raids on private homes, beatings, arbitrary arrests, and disappearances," Mr Gambari told the Council.

He said Burma's Government must recognise that what happened there "can have serious international repercussions".

The United States said it would propose sanctions at the 15-member Council if Burma did not "respond constructively" to international concerns, but success seemed unlikely with veto-wielding China firmly opposed to such action.

In a warning to the world body, Burma urged the United Nations to take no action that would harm its "good offices" role in defusing the crisis there.

Some people and monks that arrives to the hospital with serious injuries
A monk
Injured leg
Seriously injured head
Seriously Injured head

Two fellow members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) have called on Burma to resolve its political crisis.

Malaysia has urged Burma's military Government to hold unconditional talks with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

ASEAN's current chair, Singapore, says it will support UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari, but warns against pushing Burma into civil war.

The comments from Malaysia's Foreign Minister reflect concern among Burma's neighbours that the crisis there could get a lot worse unless a way can be found to bring the Government and the Opposition to the negotiating table.

Malaysia opposes economic sanctions or military action to try to force Burma's leaders to talk to Ms Suu Kyi.

It is worried that the calls from the United States and the EU for the international community to get tougher on the Burmese will continue.

Burma's leader, Than Shwe, says he will meet Ms Suu Kyi, but only after she drops calls for economic sanctions against the country.

And he says she should not call for the overthrow of his Government.

So now the uprising appears to be dead, just like previous failed efforts in 1988, when the military killed 3,000 protesters, and 1990. Burma seems to be one of those problems that the world is powerless to correct - like President Robert Mugabe's destruction of Zimbabwe, or the government-sanctioned cultivation of coca in Bolivia. I spoke to a few Burmese experts. There aren't many. As an area of study, the situation is so unsatisfying and unchanging that it doesn't attract legions of concerted activists. Maureen Aung-Thwin, a Burmese American, at first seemed resigned. "It may take another 10 years - but if it does, I might kill myself!" she said, half joking.

She is director of the Burma project at the Open Society, whose goal is to "help the country make the transition from a closed to an open society." But after a moment of reflection, she insisted, "I don't think it is finished. Burma is much more connected with the world now. The military relies on the same technology. They can't cut it off. I don't think this is over."

But then mid-week, the junta shut down the nation's two Internet service providers.

Jordt Applbaum, the former Burmese nun, insisted, "I think something has changed. This regime is playing its last, desperate card." Like the others, her assessment sounded more like an expression of hope than conviction.

VOA's Southeast Asia correspondent, Luis Ramirez, was able to enter the Burmese border down of Myawaddy Saturday with no trouble. He says all seems normal there, with Burmese traders crossing into Thailand and back as usual. But on the Thai side, he spoke to several Burmese Buddhist monks who had escaped the violence in Rangoon. They told him they are preparing to return to Burma, to keep up the fight against the military dictatorship. Ramirez later had this exchange with VOA's Barry Kalb in Hong Kong.

A relentless crackdown on Myanmar's pro-democracy activists showed no sign of easing with the junta announcing yesterday that 78 more people have been detained in spite of global outrage and new sanctions.

The latest arrests, reported by the state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper, brought to nearly 1,000 the number of people the military regime acknowledges holding in detention centers. In addition, it says 135 Buddhist monks remain in custody.

But dissident groups and foreign governments say more than 6,000 people have been locked up after last month's protests, the biggest in nearly two decades against 45 years of brutal military rule.

As it met this morning, the Security Council had before it a letter dated 4 October (document S/2007/590) from the Permanent Representative of the United States requesting it to consider the situation in Myanmar. The Council was expected to hear a statement by the Secretary-General and a briefing by Special Adviser Ibrahim Gambari on his recent mission to that country.